How can I use the words of the living prophets to strength my faith in the Atonement?

In preparing for the Sunday school lesson on 3 March, ponder the following questions:

• How have the words of living prophets and apostles strengthened your faith in Jesus Christ?
• Which talks, books, or articles by the prophets and apostles have helped you come to know Him better?

I also recommend that you read or listen to the following talk by President Boyd K. Packer from the October 2012 General Conference:

"The Atonement"  - click here to listen.

See you Sunday!

How do I use Church music to learn about the plan of salvation?

The First Presidency has said:

“Inspirational music is an essential part of our church meetings. The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord. Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns. Hymns move us to repentance and good works, build testimony and faith, comfort the weary, console the mourning, and inspire us to endure to the end” (Hymns, 1985, p. ix).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke eloquently in General Conference, October 1994, regarding the importance of music in our spiritual lives. He made the following points:

• "The singing of hymns is one of the best ways to put ourselves in tune with the Spirit of the Lord." Being in tune with the Holy Ghost is essential to learning about the gospel. The Spirit is the true teacher. To hear his whisperings, we need to be attuned to the divine. Our feelings must be sensitized. Uplifting music can sharpen our feelings and open our hearts to the still small voice.
• "The singing of hymns is one of the best ways to learn the doctrine of the restored gospel." The hymns in the LDS hymnal have been carefully selected by Prophets, Seers and Revelators not only for their melodic qualities, but more specifically for their messages. Every hymn has a specific purpose and message. The composers and authors were inspired by the Holy Ghost to create the hymns. They stand next to the Standard Works as officially sanctioned words of inspiration and revelation.
• "Hymn singing is a glorious way to worship." The word "glorious" means having a striking beauty or splendor that evokes feelings of delighted admiration. When we join our voices together in worship, the effect can be quite delightful. All who sing are united in a common thought. The technical level of musicality may or may not be beautiful, but the uniting of our hearts is splendid indeed. We admire not the music itself but the God who inspired it and who inspires us to sing unto him.
  
  Commenting further on the use of music in our worship services, Elder Oaks said, "Music in our worship services is not for demonstration but for worship. Our sacred music prepares us to be taught the truths of the gospel. Our sacred music is a powerful preparation for prayer and gospel teaching."
  
• "When temptation comes, we can neutralize its effect by humming or repeating the words of a favorite hymn." A similar prescription was given many years ago by Elder Boyd K. Packer. He taught that the mind is like a stage on which only a single act can be performed at a time. When unworthy thoughts attempt to upstage the virtuous play in our mind, we can drive them away by singing or repeating the words of a favorite hymn that we have memorized for just such occasions. The Spirit will not stay in the presence of evil, but evil cannot stay in the presence of virtue.
  
  Elder Oaks added additional counsel on the power of music to help us be in tune with the Spirit: "We need to make more use of our hymns to put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord, to unify us, and to help us teach and learn our doctrine.  We should use hymns when we need spiritual strength and inspiration."

Finally, Elder Oaks gave us a unique insight into the workings of the highest councils of the Church and how music assists them in their duties and meetings:

"When the Lord’s Apostles meet in modern times, the singing of hymns is still part of their meetings. The weekly meetings of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Salt Lake Temple always begin with a hymn. Elder Russell M. Nelson plays the organ accompaniment. The First Presidency, who conduct these meetings, rotate the privilege of selecting the opening song. Most of us record the date each hymn is sung. According to my records, the opening song most frequently sung during the decade of my participation has been “I Need Thee Every Hour” (Hymns, 1985, no. 98). Picture the spiritual impact of a handful of the Lord’s servants singing that song before praying for his guidance in fulfilling their mighty responsibilities."

In a similar way in which the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve use sacred music to attune themselves with the Spirit before beginning their business, we perhaps ought to prepare ourselves each day before our daily prayers, before reading the scriptures, and any time before we embark on the Lord's work by singing or reviewing a hymn. How different our prayers might be if we first sang to ourselves a hymn to set the tone for our devotional before the Lord!

I have learned divine truths about the plan of salvation from the hymns of the Church. These include:

• I am a child of God. ("I Am A Child Of God")
• We have a Heavenly Mother who waits for us to return home. ("Oh, My Father")
• Miracles, revelations, and heavenly messengers are just as active in our day as in ancient Israel. ("The Spirit of God")
• Jesus loves me and will help me at any time and forever. ("I Need Thee Every Hour")
• Christ's Second Coming will be in power and glory, which will be truly awe-inspiring to those of us who wait faithfully for him. ("Jesus, Once of Humble Birth")
• Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son in glorious vision to open this last dispensation. ("Joseph Smith's First Prayer")  
• Combined in Jesus is power and love sufficient to save me, and I can feel that power and love whenever I open my heart and ask for it. ("I Feel My Savior's Love")

My favorite hymn is "How Firm A Foundation" (Hymns, 85). It had a profound impact on my life when I was in need of help. I had just returned home from a very challenging and difficult two-year mission in Germany. I was spiritually and emotionally exhausted. I was physically malnourished. I was uncomfortable being back in my home and among people whom I had not seen for two years. I missed the structure and organization of mission life. My first Sunday back in my home ward, I was feeling awkward and overwhelmed with the changes that were crashing down upon me.

I pleaded with the Lord for help and for something to lift my spirit. The opening hymn in sacrament meeting that day was "How Firm A Foundation". I had certainly sung this song many times, but this day the words came to me with great impact.

How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

I was desperately searching for refuge, and I had faith, however bruised it might have felt at the moment. I felt a hope rise in my breast.

In ev'ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

I had been in every condition on my mission (except for the part about abounding in wealth). I could feel the promise of succor from the Savior as my day now demanded. (Incidentally, it was many years later that I learned that "succor" means literally "to run to". The Savior was running to me to lift me up and help me.)

Then came the magnificent third verse:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

As I sang those words with the congregation, the Holy Ghost bore witness to me that God had not abandoned me. I need not fear nor be dismayed. The Lord was there to aid me and strengthen me and cause me to stand. His omnipotent hand was still in my life and would uphold me.

Forty years later I still remember vividly that moment of comfort and assurance that God loved me. Despite all of my weaknesses and mistakes and shortcomings, he had not given up on me. I may not have been a great missionary, but I was still worth something to him. He had more plans ahead for me. The worth of my soul was great in his eyes. On that spring day, amidst a congregation of two hundred blissfully unaware people, a hymn saved a forlorn returned missionary and gave him courage to go on.

How can I help others understand the doctrine of Christ?

We cannot help others learn the doctrine of Christ unless we ourselves are already following the doctrine. It is imperative that we know the doctrine ourselves and follow it before we can expect to help others. Embedded in the doctrine itself is the very answer to the question of how we help others to learn the doctrine, as we shall see.

First and foremost, Christ is at the very center of his doctrine.

2 Nephi 25:26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Nephi and his followers focused their attention on Christ and his central role in the Plan of Salvation. They kept their eyes fixed on the Son of God. We might say that their eye was single (see Matthew 6:22).  It was not that they were not interested in all aspects of the gospel. But they recognized that everything in the gospel pointed them back to Christ.

This is a truth that the Jews missed. They studied and kept the Law of Moses for the law's sake. They failed to see that the law was merely a means to an end, the end being salvation through Christ. They thought that they could save themselves through strict obedience. They missed the fact that perfect obedience is an illusion for mortal man.

Latter-day Saints sometimes fall into the same trap. We emphasize keeping the commandments, and there are lots of commandments to keep. We cannot afford to miss the fact that we all fall short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23). We miss the fact that we keep the commandments not to earn our way into heaven, but to practice being like Christ so that we can be comfortable in his presence. It is the Atonement, and not our imperfect works, that will save us in the Kingdom of God.

The prophet Nephi provided a masterful discourse and summary of the doctrine of Christ in his writings to his brethren. Nearing the end of his mortal life, Nephi wanted to leave a final testament to his posterity. The center of his testimony was the doctrine of Christ, which he described beautifully in 2 Nephi 31.

2 Nephi 31:2-3 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying. For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.

The doctrine of Christ is plain, simple, and understandable. It can be explained in plain, ordinary language. One does not have to have a rich and arcane vocabulary nor a stunning intellect to grasp the concepts of the doctrine. Little children, by the age of eight are expected to understand the doctrine of Christ sufficiently that they can make a decision to follow the doctrine.
God wants us to understand the doctrine. He does not hide it in obscurity or shroud it in dark mysteries. He puts it out in plain sight so that all who want to learn it and understand it can do so. It is accessible and approachable.

All this is not to say that the doctrine is easy and takes no effort to comply with it. Salvation is not cheap, but it is freely given to all who will put forth the effort to live it and incorporate it in their lives. We can learn the doctrine in a few moments, but we will spend a lifetime implementing it and letting it change us.

We learn here from Nephi that we should approach teaching the doctrine of Christ with plainness to the understanding of those we teach. We should endeavor to present it in simple and straightforward terms. And we should present it with delight and enthusiasm. The gospel of Christ is "good news". We should share it with the joy that it brings to us. The doctrine of Christ is delightful because it enlightens us and lifts us.

2 Nephi 31:4-5 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world. And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!

Christ not only taught the doctrine, he lived it. He was and is the very embodiment of his doctrine. He says with authority and confidence, "Come, follow me." Baptism is a key principle in the doctrine of Christ. Jesus demonstrated the significance of baptism by setting the example for us.

Baptism is a cleansing ordinance and a covenant-making ordinance. We are baptized unto repentance. The ordinance unlocks for us the door to forgiveness, justification and sanctification. Jesus needed no repentance, but he still needed baptism because he needed to make the covenant with his Father that he would obey him. We are likewise baptized into the covenant to do our best to become like Christ, and always remember him, and keep his commandments.

The covenant of baptism also brings with it a promise from God that as we keep the covenant, we will always have his spirit to be with us. Jesus needed that promise as much as we do.

Nephi also establishes with this introduction to baptism that it was a recognized prophet who performed Christ's baptism. Priesthood authority is key to the validity of the baptismal ordinance. One may have a sincere desire to make a covenant with God, but unless he receives the ordinance from one whom God recognizes as an authorized agent to administer the ordinance, it is not valid nor binding for the individual. God is a God of order, and his order says that we do not baptize ourselves nor can someone perform the ordinance for us who is not properly authorized. Ordinances require authority. The words ordinance and order derive from the same root. An ordinance sets things in order. God's authority to set things in order is his priesthood. Only God can establish a righteous covenant with man, and only priesthood holders are authorized to perform ordinances in the name of God.

2 Nephi 31:6-7 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.

As noted earlier, Christ set the example for all mankind by pledging his own loyalty, faithfulness, and obedience to his Father through baptism. An ordinance is an outward expression of an inner commitment. Some may ask why we cannot just make a promise in our hearts to follow and obey God. Why do we have to perform a public, visible sign of our commitment? I do not know the answer to that question. But if it was important to the Savior to submit to baptism as a sign of his formal covenant with Heavenly Father to be obedient, it is surely important to us to do the same. That is Nephi's point. We may not understand the reason for everything, but as long as we follow Christ, we cannot go wrong.

2 Nephi 31: 8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.

Christ completed his demonstration of the doctrine of faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost through the sign of the dove, which represented the Holy Ghost, descending upon him.
For us the gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed through an ordinance of the Melchezidek priesthood. In Christ's day, there were no Melchizedek priesthood holders. Jesus himself was the embodiment of priesthood authority, but there were none others to whom he could look to receive the ordinance. So the Father himself bestowed the gift upon his Son. The dove was merely a sign that the gift had been given. The dove did not bring the Holy Ghost, nor was it the incarnation of the Holy Ghost. It was simply the outward sign to faithful observers, such as john the Baptist, of the inward truth that Jesus possessed the supernal gift of the Holy Ghost.

2 Nephi 31: 9-12 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them. And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

Nephi reiterates the purpose of his telling of the coming events in the life of Jesus Christ. Christ is the perfect example in all things, including his obedience to the ordinances of salvation.

There is no deviating from the strict and narrow path that leads to salvation. We cannot choose to make our own path to salvation. We may not skip steps or create some other path. We choose to either follow the designated path or not. In this sense, our agency is limited. We either choose the path that is Christ's plan, or we do not. We cannot devise another path that we like better.

2 Nephi 31: 13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism —yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

For the ordinances and covenants to be effective, we must enter into them with an honest desire to conform ourselves to the Lord's plan of happiness. We must have a real and abiding intention of following through. Please note that we do not have to be perfect in the execution of our covenants. God knows, and surely we should know, that we will be less than successful in our attempts to be perfectly obedient. It is the whole purpose of the Atonement to enable Christ to help us overcome our failures, mistakes, shortcomings, and sins. The Lord does not expect us to be perfect, but he expects us to want perfection and to strive for it. He will perfect us through his Atonement in his own time. In the meantime, we practice, which means we make mistakes, we receive feedback and correction, and we try again.

As we make a genuine and honest effort to comply with the commandments, the gift of the Holy Ghost will become more evident in our lives. As we qualify ourselves with Christ's help, we will draw ever closer and more consistently to the influence of the Spirit until eventually we will be enveloped by him. Just as we were immersed in the water of baptism, we will be immersed in the Holy Ghost. Thus we are baptized with the Holy Ghost, the symbol of which is fire.

2 Nephi 31: 14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

There is a risk in exercising our agency to come unto Christ. If we lose faith and fall away after having received the blessings of salvation, our situation will be worse than if we had never known him at all.

So why take the risk? Why not remain in blissful ignorance until we die and then learn about the gospel in the spirit world?

Because with the greater risk comes the greater reward. The plan of salvation – the very purpose of earth life – is to learn to exercise our agency and to take risks in the pursuit of happiness. Satan's plan removed all agency and all risk. Like the slothful servant who buried his one talent and return it in its original state to his master, Satan would have returned us to the Father virtually unchanged after a purposeless earthly existence. Heavenly Father rejected this plan as insufficient and contrary to the plan of happiness and eternal progression. Our God is a God of progression. We were born to progress. We must progress to become like him. We cannot progress without agency, and we cannot have agency without risk.

So yes, there is a chance that we can fall after we have risen to meet the Savior. But if we fall, it is our own doing because we gave up and chose to turn away from our faith and the helping hand of Christ. As long as we face him and reach out to him, no matter how many mistakes we make, he will not abandon us and let us fall. He will never give up on us if we never give up on him.

2 Nephi 31:19-20 19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Here is both the antidote to potential failure from verse 14 and the final reward. If we have faith in Christ and keep our eyes fastened on him and continue to have hope in his help and love God and share that love with others and learn to listen to the Holy Ghost, who speaks the words of Christ to us, and not give up on ourselves or on the Lord, we have the promise of eternal life, which is life with Heavenly Father in the celestial kingdom.

The doctrine of Christ is central to the message of the Restoration. Knowing the doctrine helps us focus on the essential aspects of the restored gospel and avoid the fringe topic that can divert the investigator's attention from the central message of Christ and his doctrine.

In Come, Follow Me, the new youth curriculum of the Church, we learn, “The 'doctrine of Christ' is that all men everywhere must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. The doctrine of Christ is the only way to be saved in the kingdom of God. It is the foundation of the Church and the central message of its missionaries.”

The doctrine of Christ has been a marvelous blessing in my life. As simple as it is, I have spent the last forty-five years of my life trying to implement the doctrine into my life. It has changed me in profound ways. And yet I am still learning about how to “feast upon the words of Christ” and how to touch those whom God has put in my path to love. I too often take the doctrine and my responsibilities in it for granted. I have for a long time assumed that the Holy Ghost would simply come to me because I have been given the gift. I am only now learning how to ask for the Holy Ghost every day and invite him into my daily actions, thoughts, and decisions. I am still trying to get my heart to agree with my head that mistakes are inevitable and are not failures but are steps along the path to a Christ-like life. I am a living witness that there is a lifetime of adventures and progress in the simple doctrine of Christ.

How does a testimony come?

Once a month we meet in fast and testimony meeting to hear ward members bear their testimonies. It is common practice for a speaker to end a talk or an instructor to end a lesson with a testimony of the principle that has just been taught. Missionaries in particular are taught that it is essential to their work with investigators that they bear testimony frequently (see Preach My Gospel, p. 19).

President Joseph F. Smith taught, “We have a mission in the world: each man, each woman, each child who has grown to understanding or to the years of accountability, ought . . . to be qualified to preach the truth, to bear testimony of the truth” (Gospel Doctrine, 13th ed. [1968], 251–52).

So how do we gain this all-important testimony of the Gospel, of the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Book of Mormon, and of Jesus Christ?

Testimony Requires Action

President Boyd K. Packer provides a critical insight.

“Oh, if I could teach you this one principle. A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it! Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that ‘leap of faith,’ as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and stepped into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two. ‘The spirit of man,’ as the scripture says, indeed ‘is the candle of the Lord’ (Proverbs 20:27 ). 

“It is one thing to receive a witness from what you have read or what another has said; and that is a necessary beginning. It is quite another to have the Spirit confirm to you in your bosom that what you have testified is true. Can you not see that it will be supplied as you share it? As you give that which you have, there is a replacement, with increase!”

--“Seek Learning by Faith", Liahona, Sept. 2007, 16–24      

Brigham Young gave the following instructions to James F. Wells in 1875 when the Prophet called Brother wells to organize the Young Men’s organization of the Church:

“Many may think they haven’t any testimony to bear, but get them to stand up and they will find the Lord will give them utterance to many truths they had not thought of before. More people have obtained a testimony while standing up trying to bear it than down on their knees praying for it.”

--"Seek Learning by Faith", Liahona, Sept. 2007, 16–24      

In other words, a testimony comes through actions. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17, emphasis added). First we do, and then we know. This is learning by faith.

Action is the key word in gaining a testimony. The very expression “gaining a testimony” implies action. We do not sprout a testimony. We do not talk of a testimony simply springing up within us. Rather, we seek for a testimony, we work for it, and we obtain or acquire it. 

Seeking With a Purpose

A second key to obtaining a testimony is our purpose in seeking the knowledge. If we want a testimony simply to satisfy an idle curiosity, it is not likely that we will find what we are looking for. As Elder Bednar has explained, “Joseph went to the grove to learn by faith. He was determined to act” (Ibid.).

The young Joseph Smith did not merely want to know which church was right. He wanted to know which church he should join. He was seeking direction for his actions. Likewise, investigators of the Church are most successful at receiving a witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel when they intend to act on the desired knowledge by repenting, receiving baptism, and joining the Church. If we say effectively in our hearts, “Dear God, I would like to know if this principle is true, but I don’t really intend to do anything about it or change my life because of it,” the Lord will let us to wallow in our ignorance. On the other hand, when we pray “with real intent” (Moroni 10:4), meaning with the intention of acting on the knowledge we seek, the Lord is quick to answer.

Crisis Compels Action

Shortly before I was to leave on my mission to Germany as a nineteen-year-old Elder, I realized that I did not have a true testimony of the Book of Mormon. I was in a crisis. I was about to leave home and my family and all of my friends and everything I enjoyed, for two years, and I was suddenly struck with the realization that I did not know of a surety that this Gospel I was about to preach was true. I believed the Church was true because I could not see a better alternative, but I did not know it was true.

In my crisis of faith and tumult of emotions, a teaching from my seminar class came firmly into my mind. I remembered my seminary teacher, Sister Nelson, saying many times that the Book of Mormon is the key to the Gospel. If we know that the Book of Mormon is true, then all else falls into place. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was really a prophet. And if Joseph was a prophet, then the Church he established was truly the restored Church, and everything else followed.

In that thought, I came to the conclusion that what I needed more than anything was a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I needed the spiritual witness of the Holy Ghost that it was the word of God revealed through his prophet. I needed a sure knowledge that this book was more than the imaginative creation of a clever writer. I needed to know for myself, or I could not serve a mission.

I pondered that thought for a few days. I hesitated in fear. I desperately wanted to know, and yet I was afraid that I would not know. What if there really was no God and the Church was a hoax and the Book of Mormon was a ruse? What direction would my life take if I had been living a lie for the past four years? While I hesitated to follow the path that I knew I must take, the clock was ticking, and the day of my departure for the mission home in Salt Lake City was approaching. I became increasingly depressed, any my mind became obsessed with the idea that I either had to know now or I would walk away from my mission and the Church and never look back. 

I forced myself to go to my church meetings on Sunday because I did not know how to explain to my parents that I simply did not want to go. Nevertheless, I sat sullen and defiant, seething with disgust for all of this religious nonsense. I refused to take the sacrament or sing the hymns. Rather than listen to the speakers, I dwelt on my own thoughts, which became darker and more confused by the hour. I silently dared the speakers and teachers to say anything that would have some relevance to me. Sure enough, no inspiration came. I left church that day convinced that I was not going on a mission or ever returning to church.

The Test

And yet in the back of my darkened mind was the nagging thought – You haven’t tested the Book of Mormon. You need to know if that book is true. In my jumble of thoughts and my deepening depression, I finally seized on that idea like a lifeline. I needed to know, once and for all, if I were ever going to find peace. I didn't care which direction it went, but once I knew, I could go on and stop worrying. I made up my mind that Monday morning I would begin.

I woke up at my usual time the next morning and got myself dressed and ready to go to school. I had a full load of classes at Long Beach City College. Normally I would do some homework in the morning before strapping my books on my bike and riding to campus. However, this morning I instead picked up my paperback missionary copy of the Book of Mormon. I sat down in the Strato-lounger in my room with the door closed, laid the book on my lap, and said a simple prayer. “God, if you are really there, and if this book is true, please let me know it. I need to know or I cannot go on my mission.”

I then opened the book to 1 Nephi Chapter 1. My plan was to read for thirty minutes and then go to school. I figured that I would follow that process every day for the next three weeks and see how far I could get into the book. By the end of three weeks, I would either get on the plane to Salt Lake City, or I would figure out some way to explain that I quit.

My eyes fell on the opening lines in Verse 1, and I read, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…” In that instant, as those words echoed in my mind, I was overcome with the sensation that Nephi was a real person with real parents. It was as if I was hearing his actual voice speaking to me. I knew as well as I knew that I was living and breathing that Nephi had lived and breathed. He was not an imaginary character in a book of fiction. He was a man who had written about his life, and I was reading his words. Granted, I knew he had not written in English, but I was sure that he had written the equivalent Hebrew words in Reformed Egyptian on gold plates with a metal stylus. I knew in that moment, after reading just eight words, that the whole thing was true.

I continued reading for my planned thirty minutes, savoring the marvelous feeling of peace. I felt as though I were surrounded by light. However, when I finished reading and closed the book, the feeling left me. I questioned throughout the day if what I had experienced was real or just my wrought-up imagination. By the evening I was in total confusion again.

Persistence

I had promised myself that I would perform the experiment for three weeks before giving up. So the next morning I took my position in the Strato-lounger and prayed the same prayer: “God, if you are really there, and if this book is true, please let me know it. I need to know or I cannot go on my mission.”

I then open the book to the page where I had left off the previous day. Immediately the brilliant, calming assurance returned. I knew with absolute certainty that Nephi, Lehi, Laman, Lemuel, and Sam were all real people who were born, lived their lives, ate, slept, got cold at night and felt the heat of the same sun during the day that I could see coming through my window.

I read for thirty minutes and then headed for school. But this time the feeling did not leave me right away. It lingered for a while and faded gradually. I repeated my morning ritual for several more days, and each time, the certainty of knowledge flooded into my mind and my heart with remarkable clarity and peace. Each day, the feeling stayed with me longer, until I went to bed with it and woke up with it. By the end of the week I knew that this was not self hypnosis or a trick or a figment of my imagination. God was real. He heard my prayers. He had revealed to me in unmistakable terms that the Book of Mormon was a true book about real people translated by a living prophet. I had my answer. 

I continued to read every day until I departed for my mission. I continued to read while I was in the mission home in Salt Lake and in the Language Training Mission in Provo. I never once picked up my Book of Mormon without having that confirming witness of the Spirit that it was true.

Knocking With Determination

I relate this story to illustrate that action is the key to learning the gospel. I had read the Book of Mormon at least twice while I was in high school, and I had prayed about it. But it was not until I prayed with real intent and with a determination to act that I received the knowledge I sought. I learned about the admonition to “knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (see Luke 11:9). A tentative, furtive tapping at the door, such as I had done in high school, was not enough. It was not until I pounded on the door with a resolution to not leave until it opened up to me that I got my answer.

I also learned that it did not take long to get an answer once I asked the right question with the right determination to follow through. I needed to repeat the process a few times to ensure myself that I was getting a consistent response, but the door opened instantly when I knocked the first time.

Elder Bednar has said, “Learning by faith cannot be transferred from an instructor to a student through a lecture, a demonstration, or an experiential exercise; rather, a student must exercise faith and act in order to obtain the knowledge for himself or herself” (Ibid.). Instructors had taught me for four years that the Book of Mormon was true. But it was not until I exercised faith with an intention to act that I obtained the knowledge for myself.

What is the role of the Holy Ghost in learning the gospel?

Learning is an action, and action requires agency. Agency is the difference between acting and merely being acted upon.

The Lord revealed the following principle about agency to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1831:

“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.” (D&C 58:26-28)

Learning the gospel is certainly a good cause. Being anxiously engaged in the cause of gospel study is pleasing to the Lord. The Church provides many opportunities and venues in which we can learn:   Sacrament meeting, Sunday school, priesthood quorums, Relief Society, home teaching, visiting teaching, family home evening, General Conference, and so on. But if our learning is restricted to our standard meetings, we are not anxiously engaged. We are merely waiting to be acted upon. We must also act. We must seek learning by faith, through person study and by opening our hearts to the Holy Ghost.

Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has emphasized repeatedly the principle of agency in our lives. Regarding agency in learning, he has referred to D&C 88:77-78:

“And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand.”

He then made the following comment. “Consider that the blessings described in these scriptures are intended specifically for the teacher: “Teach … diligently and my grace shall attend you”—that you, the teacher, may be instructed!” (“Seek Learning by Faith", Liahona, Sept. 2007, 16–24)     

One obviously formal learning situation is the classroom. Classroom instruction has been a regular feature of the Restored Church almost from the beginning. We are commanded to “meet together oft” (3 Nephi 18:22) and to “hear the word of the Lord” (4 Nephi 1:12) and to “instruct and edify each other” (D&C 43:8). In such a setting, we seek learning not simply by showing up and occupying a seat in the class, but by actively engaging in the instruction. We learn when we think about the information being delivered, when we look for ways to apply the information to our personal situation, and when we interact with those around us who are similarly engaged in pondering. No matter what the instructor may be doing or saying, we are ultimately responsible for our own learning.

Elder Bednar has taught, “An answer given by another person usually is not remembered for very long, if remembered at all. But an answer we discover or obtain through the exercise of faith, typically, is retained for a lifetime. The most important learnings of life are caught—not taught.” (Ibid.)

We are the catcher. The instructor may throw out a pitch, but if our mitt is not up, and if we do not wrap our hand around the spiritual ball and pull it into us, it will just fall lifeless on the ground at our feet.

Applying another analogy, Elder Bednar has taught, “As parents and gospel instructors, you and I are not in the business of distributing fish; rather, our work is to help individuals learn to 'fish' and to become spiritually self-reliant.” (Ibid.)

Learning to fish takes preparation, effort, and practice. Before we begin to fish, we need to get the right equipment, and we need to be taught how to use it. We need to learn how to bait the hook and what techniques work best in certain situations. Then we need to practice. We may not be very successful at first, but with time and experience and determined effort, we can become expertly successful fishermen.

When I was in elementary school, Dad took me fishing several times. We went surf fishing at Bolsa Chica Beach. Back then we called it Tin Can Beach because it was not well maintained. He showed me how to dig for sand crabs, put them on the hook, and tie sinkers to the line. I practiced running out onto the shore behind a receding wave and casting the line beyond the breakers, then running back up the beach ahead of the next breaking wave. I learned how to watch the tip of the pole as it bent and swayed with the rhythm of the surf to detected the little jerk that indicated that a fish was teasing the bait. After a few trips in the pre-dawn hours, I could catch fish. But then Dad stopped going fishing.

When my son Russell got into Boy Scouts, he wanted to learn to fish. It had been many years since I had fished, and the little bit I remembered about surf fishing was nothing like fishing in a lake or a stream. Nevertheless, I bought some gear and took him out. 

After a couple of trips with no success, I went to a friend who was an expert fisherman and got some pointers about casting and working with lures. But still my son and I had no success. 

I was not motivated to work at this fishing business because it was just a hobby, and not even a serious one for me. After all, I could always buy fish at the store. I enjoyed the time with Russell, but the actual catching, cleaning and eating of fish was not a priority for me. 

It would have been a much different motivation, and I think I would have had a much different experience, if the store went out of business and I needed to catch fish to feed my family. I would have taken every opportunity to learn from masters. I would have studied the subject of fishing with intensity. I would have practiced regularly and with deliberation. I am confident that I could have learned to catch fish if my life depended on it.

Gospel learning cannot be a casual hobby. We ought not to take the “store” for granted. I cannot show up at church once a week and expect teachers and speakers to pour gospel knowledge into my inattentive head. Just getting occasional spiritual pointers is not enough. Spending time with good people in a pleasant social setting is not enough. To get the gospel past my head and into my heart and soul, I need to study with intensity and practice deliberately. Unlike catching fish, my life really does depend on catching the gospel.

Agency, in the form of action, is the difference between shopping for fish and catching fish.